There is much talk of poets and poetry in his verse and
much of the tender melancholy of parting lovers, of separation and
death. There are also some very healthy bacchic notes. Often the
ballads are a mere presentation of a scene, with neither plot nor
moral; once in a while, too, Uhland shows a humorous touch. But
various as are his themes and treatments, the treatment is always
nicely adapted to the theme.
It is difficult to imagine a better suiting of form and content than
in _The Singer's Curse_. The management of the vowel sequences is
truly wonderful and the rhymes carry the emotional words with a fine
virtuosity. _The Luck of Edenhall_, a variation of a Scottish theme
and also of the Biblical "_Mene tekel_," displays without sermonizing
the greatest ethical vigor. It has far more dramatic energy than
either Byron's or Heine's "Belshazzar" poems, with fully as much
dismal foreboding. _Taillefer_, which has been called "the sparkling
queen" of Uhland's ballads, has fresh vigor but lacks the power
of handling the moral forces of the universe with as much dramatic
vividness. It has a naive joy of life not elsewhere found in Uhland's
ballads.
Uhland was the greatest poet of the "Suabian School," a group of young
men who objected to being denominated a school. Among them was
William Hauff (1802-27), who is known for several lyrics, a number
of excellent short stories, and a historical novel, _Lichtenstein_
(1826), in the manner of Scott.
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